1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a charging connector and a charging cable unit. More particularly, the invention relates to a charging connector and a charging cable unit for use for performing the charging on a vehicle that is constructed so that an electric storage device for driving the vehicle is chargeable from an electric power source outside the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric motor vehicles, hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, etc. have been drawing attention in recent years as vehicles that are designed factoring in environmental issues. These vehicles are equipped with an electric motor that generates vehicle-driving force, and an electric storage device that stores electric power to be supplied to the electric motor. A hybrid vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine as a motive power source in addition to an electric motor. A fuel cell vehicle is equipped with a fuel cell as a direct-current power source provided for driving the vehicle.
Among such vehicles, a vehicle in which a vehicle-driving electric storage device mounted in the vehicle is chargeable from an electric power source of an ordinary household is known. For example, the electric storage device is supplied with electric power by connecting an electrical outlet provided in a house, and a charging opening that is provided on the vehicle, via a charging cable. Hereinafter, a vehicle that allows an electric storage device mounted in the vehicle to be charged from an electric power source provided outside the vehicle will be referred to as “plug-in vehicle”. The standards of such a plug-in vehicle have already been enacted in the United States and Japan.
When a plug-in vehicle starts to be charged in the night time, it is difficult to connect a charging connector to the charging opening of the vehicle if it is dark around the charging opening. To overcome this problem, a technology in which a lighting device is provided on the charging connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-290836 (JP-A-6-290836).
The technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-290836 (JP-A-6-290836) adopts an electric battery as a power source for a lighting that is provided on the connector. However, when the battery is exhausted, it needs to be replaced. As for such battery replacement, it is conceivable that the replacement is performed in the night time after exhaustion of the battery is noticed in an attempt to turn on the lighting. It is difficult to replace the battery in the dark at night. It is also conceivable to have a construction in which, in order to eliminate the need for battery replacement, a power source circuit that generates power source voltage for lighting through the use of a portion of the electric power that is supplied to the vehicle is provided within the charging connector. However, this results in an increased size or scale of the circuit that is to be housed in the charging connector.
Not only in the case of the lighting, but also in the case where a load other than the lighting is driven by the charging connector, how to secure an electric power source becomes a problem.